Born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1930, Jimmy Jones moved to New York as a teenager and started  his career as a tap dancer, and then added singing to his work, joining a doowop group in 1954. He got a deal with the Savoy label in 1956 and made records for them and the Rama label, followed a year or two later by one for Epic, without making any waves. In 1959 he teamed up with songwriter Otis Blackwell (writer of “all Shook Up” and “Great Balls Of Fire”) to rework a song he first wrote in 1955 “Handy Man”. He recorded it for MGM’s Cub label, finally finding the right vehicle for his remarkable and distinctive falsetto voice, and it was a Top 3 hit on both sides of the Atlantic. This 31-track CD comprises just about all his releases from his debut through to 1962, by which time he had had all his career hits. It features A and B sides on the Savoy, Rama, Epic and Cub labels from these years, plus the tracks from his 1960 MGM album “Good Timin’” which were not otherwise released on singles. It naturally includes his big hits “Handy Man” and the UK No. 1 and US No. 3 “Good Timin”, plus his other chart entries “That’s When I Cried”, “I Just Go For You”, “Ee-I-Ee-I-Oh!”, “Itchin’”, “Ready For Love” and “I Told You So”. It neatly encapsulates the core era of his career and is a great showcase for his highly individual vocal talents.

Tracks

1. SOMEBODY BIGGER THAN YOU AND I Jimmy Jones (Savoy 1553) 1956
2. A CLOSER WALK Jimmy Jones (Savoy 1553) 1956
3. WITH ALL MY HEART Jimmy Jones And The Savoys  (Savoy 1586) 1956
4. PLEASE SAY YOU'RE MINE Jimmy Jones And The Savoys  (Savoy 1586) 1956
5. LOVER Jimmy Jones and The Pretenders (Rama 207) 1956
6. PLAIN OLD LOVE Jimmy Jones and The Pretenders (Rama 207) 1956
7. YOU FOR ME TO LOVE Jimmy Jones (Epic 9339) 1959
8. WHENEVER YOU NEED ME Jimmy Jones (Epic 9339) 1959
9. HANDY MAN Jimmy Jones (Cub K9049) 1959
10. THE SEARCH IS OVER Jimmy Jones (Cub K9049) 1959
11. GOOD TIMIN' Jimmy Jones (Cub K9067) 1960
12. MY PRECIOUS ANGEL Jimmy Jones (Cub K9067) 1960
13. TOO LONG WILL BE TOO LATE Jimmy Jones (MGM 1078) 1960
14. I JUST GO FOR YOU Jimmy Jones (Cub K9072) 1960
15. THAT'S WHEN I CRIED Jimmy Jones (Cub K9072) 1960
16. EE-I EE-I OH! Jimmy Jones (Cub K9076) 1960
17. ITCHIN'  Jimmy Jones (Cub K9076) 1960
18. READY FOR LOVE Jimmy "Handyman" Jones (Cub K9082) 1960
19. FOR YOU Jimmy "Handyman" Jones (Cub K9082) 1960
20. I TOLD YOU SO Jimmy Jones (Cub K9085) 1961
21. YOU GOT IT Jimmy Jones (Cub K9085) 1961
22. I SAY LOVE Jimmy Jones (Cub K9093) 1961
23. DEAR ONE Jimmy Jones (Cub K9093) 1961
24. MR. MUSIC MAN Jimmy "Handyman" Jones (Cub K9102) 1961
25. HOLLER HEY Jimmy "Handyman" Jones (Cub K9102) 1961
26. YOU'RE MUCH TOO YOUNG Jimmy Jones (Cub K9110) 1962
27. THE NIGHTS OF MEXICO Jimmy Jones (Cub K9110) 1962
28. A WONDROUS PLACE Jimmy Jones (From the album “Good Timin’” MGM E3847) 1960
29. NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD Jimmy Jones (From the album “Good Timin’” MGM E3847) 1960
30. WHERE IN THE WORLD Jimmy Jones (From the album “Good Timin’” MGM E3847) 1960
31. THEN I'LL KNOW Jimmy Jones (From the album “Good Timin’” MG